Lubbock Christian University President Tim Perrin, along with LCU staff and the women's basketball team, helps students move into the dorms at LCU on Aug. 22. Perrin will be officially inaugurated next week.

Scott Collier, left, a supporter of Lubbock Christian University, welcomes Tim Perrin after Perrin was announced as the new president of Lubbock Christian University on Feb. 3. Perrin will be officially inaugurated next week in Lubbock.

LCU will celebrate its sixth president’s inauguration with a week of events, beginning with an area-wide worship service and prayer of blessing at 5 p.m. Sunday in the McDonald Moody Auditorium.

Lemley, who serves on the university faculty, showed students a video of his inauguration during chapel on Monday. He served as president from 1982 to 1993.

Perrin said at the time, he was nervous to speak on behalf of the students, and the clip showed his fidgeting.

“It connects those who are here now to our past. I think there’s a great story in that,” Perrin said. “I had no idea doing that in 1982 that I would (later) be the one being inaugurated. It’s a great lesson about how life is full of wonderful, unexpected surprises for current students.”

The theme for the week’s celebration is “The Enduring Idea of a Christian University.” The message will be explored through panel discussions, music and multiple presentations.

“For me, that’s at the heart of what makes us distinguishable,” Perrin said. “It just made sense to me to just make this week about a conversation about the place of faith in public life (and in academia). It is very purposeful and intentional to center the week around that theme and think about, ‘How do we do this?’ ‘How do we do better?’ And ‘What does it mean for us to be a Christian university and to be faithful to the heritage we inherited?’”

Warren McNeil, assistant vice president of university relations and chair of the inauguration committee, said inaugurations are a tradition at many universities. The events date back to 1636 when Harvard University formally inducted its first president, he said.

Susan Blassingame, dean of LCU’s Hancock College of Liberal Arts and Education, also serves on the inauguration committee. She said the university’s last presidential inauguration took place about 20 years ago.

In 1992, Ken Jones began his service as the fifth president of the university. He was appointed chancellor of LCU on June 1, according to the university’s website.

McNeil said the inauguration committee planned the activities to appeal to the university’s constituents.

“We’ve got a concert on Tuesday evening for those drawn to the arts,” he explained. “We’ve got a scholarly type of discussion that takes place Wednesday afternoon. Scholars from all over the country are going to discuss the intersection of faith and learning. Since we’re a Christian university, that’s really important to us. How a person has faith and how they learn and discern knowledge through a Christian lens is important to Lubbock Christian University.”

McNeil is most looking forward to hearing Baylor University President Ken Starr speak about “Voices of Faith in the Public Square.”

According to LCU’s website, Starr has served as dean of the Pepperdine University School of Law and is the author of more than 25 books and publications. He has received many honors and awards including the 2005 J.Reuben Clark Law Society Distinguished Service Award and the FBI’s Jefferson Cup.

Perrin said inauguration week is a time for the Lubbock and West Texas communities to come together to celebrate the university.

“We are proud to be a part of the Lubbock community,” he said. “We bear it in our name. We take Lubbock with us wherever we go. We want to be good neighbors; we want to be good members of the community.”

Blassingame said the inauguration is an important event in LCU’s history. She added that the community has supported the university since its ground-breaking in 1957.

She called the inauguration week activities a gift back to the community and said it is important for the student population to participate.

“I think it’s important for students to think about how they are fitting into the history of the time and of the place,” she said. “A lot of students think history happens outside of their realm of existence. This is a historic event that is happening while they are here. I think years from now they’ll think, ‘I was at that event,’ and it will mean something to them.”

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Lubbock Christian University President Tim PerrinEducation: history degree from LCU in 1984, J.D. from the Texas Tech School of Law in 1987.Law experience: associate with the law firm Gary, Thomasson, Hall & Marks, in Corpus Christi, practicing general civil litigation from 1987 to 1992. Higher education experience: began teaching at Pepperdine University in 1992, served as associate provost from 2003 to 2007, named vice dean of the law school in 2007. Family: married to Lucy, also an LCU alumna. They have three children: Hannah, Sam and Will.Lubbock Christian University presidential inauguration eventsSundayArea-wide worship service and prayers of blessing, 5 p.m. in McDonald Moody Auditorium.MondayBaylor University President Ken Starr presents "Voices of Faith in the Public Square," 7 p.m. in McDonald Moody Auditorium.TuesdayPraise choir and symphonic band present a celebration of LCU's musical heritage, 7 p.m. in McDonald Moody Auditorium.Wednesday"The Restoration Heritage and the Christian University" and "The Enduring Idea of a Christian University:" a faith and learning panel discussion featuring Richard Hughes of Messiah College, Robert Benne of Roanoke College, Allison Garrett of Abilene Christian University and Doug Henry of Baylor University, 5:30 p.m. in Baker Conference Center.ThursdayInvestiture convocation, with inaugural message from Southern Methodist University President Gerald Turner, 2 p.m. in Rip Griffin Center.- This is not a complete list of events. For more information and the event schedule, visit www.lcu.edu/inauguration.